Sheet-delivery mechanism for printing-presses.



n. SHETS-SHEET 1.

Paented Nov. 22, 1910.;

W. H. STRATTON.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5, 1910.

SHEET DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

W. H. STRATTON.

SHEET DELWERY MEGHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. lSlO.

NITED Isfr/ iras PATENT crimen.

WILLIAM H. STRATTON, OF CHICAG'O, ILLINOIS.

SHEET-DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR IRIN'lINGr-I?RESSES.

evento.

'speciation of Letters raient; rammed Nov. isn o.

Application 1ed August 5, 1910. Serial No. 575,760.

To all whom it may concern.' 5

Be it known that I, lVILLiAM H. STnA'r'roN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful'mprovements in Sheet-Delivery Mechanism for Printing-Presses, of which the following isa specification.

My invention has relation to printing presses, but more particularly.L to a deliveryI mechanism for delivering the'pinted 'sheets from th. press. Y-

Still i ire-particularly, however,-my Vinvention ielates to a reciprocating sheet delivery mecha ism of thatv'type in' which the sheet is .first depositedA on a main "set of traveling tapes, with which printing presses now used are provided, and which propel the sheet olf upon the tapes of my improved delivery 'nechanism which, 4'in turn, carry the sheet forward over a receiving table and then roll -ont from' under it, allowing' it to drop upon the table.

The princi pal object of my invention comprehends the production of a sheet delivery mechanism ,of the above character which may be readily-attached to presses already inAuse, and which will be extren'iel'y simple of construction andpositive in operation.

Yith-these and other' objects in View, my invention consists of certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter ful-ly described and more particularly pointed out in the claims. i i i ln the accompanying draw-ings, which form a part of this specification, and in which like reference mnnerals indicate correspondingr parts throughout the several vews, -Figure 1 is Va top plan view of ai sheet delivery mechanism constructed'in accordance with my invention, and .showingr the same atI the limit of its outward movement. Fig'. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 3.-?) of F ig. 1 showing the carriages `on their return movement, and illustrating by dotted lines, the, position the parts of my invention occupy when the carriages reach the limit of their return movement. 'Fig 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of F ig. 2 with someof the parts in ele.

vation. Fig. It is a. transverse sectional view 'taken through one ofthe sheet supporting the reference numerals indicated thereon, 1 denotes the side rails of my improved delive'i)Y mechanism, which are loosely mounted at thcirxivnner ends on a rocker shaft 2, which, in turn', is mounted in the frame of the press. By loosely mounting the side rails 1 on the',rocker shaft 2, they may be raisedrvertically for the purpose -of making repairs, should any become necessary. To

prevent the side rails 1 from falling,r below the horizonthlgheir inner ends are pro vided with notches 3, which engage lugs 4 formed on the frame ofthe press.

The main stationary set of tapes, which recelve the sheets from the printing mechan'lsm, maybe substantially the same in con struction hd arrangement as similar arts of sheet. elivery mechanismof this lc iaracter heretofore used, and preferably comprise a n'umber of tape pulleys 5 mounted onva shaft (i and' a corresponding number of tape pulleys 7 mounted on a shaft 8. The

tapes are indicated at S) and pass over the pulleys 5 and '71", and are continuously driven in such amanner as to cause their upper folds to travel away from the printing mech-A anism, so as to convey the sheet delivered therefrom in the proper delivery direction. The tape pulleys 5 are considerably larger in diameter than the diameter of the shaft (5,' and are spaced a snllicient distanceapart to permit the passage therebetween of a number of -sheet supportingfingers, which are arranged in a series alternating with thetapes 9 and which constitute a part of my improved delivery mechanism. These sheet supporting lingers each comprise a stick or arm 10 of channel formation and have their outer ends provided with depending'ears 11, which are securely Afastened to a transverse shaft l2. The other ends of the sticks or arms 10 rest on the rocker shaft 2 and are free to slide thereon. Mounted in the inner ends of the .sticks 1() there is a tape pulley 13, over which and a rollerl 14, carried by a transverse shaft l5, the sheet conveying tapes 16 pass. The outen ends of the sticks 10 are also provided with a tape pulley 17, and as most clearly shown in Fig.

2, the tapes 16 pass over the roller 14, then over the upper side of the pulleys' 17,: and

then over the pulleys 13. By this arrange`- l ment both folds of. the tapes 16 willtravel above the .sticks 10 and the, 'sides` of ,saidY sticks will act as guides .to prevent thetapesv from becoming twisted. i

l The ends of the transverse shafts 12 and 15 are supported by plates 18 which are suspended adjacent the inner faces of the side' rails 1 by suitable wheels 19, and which form carriages for reciprocating the parts of my invention, the wheels 19 running on the upper edges of the side rails 1 These carriages are reciprocated by means of links 2O which are pivotally connected at one end to the plates 18 of the carriages and at their other ends to arms 21 mounted on the rocker shaft 2, and said rocker shaft 2 beingprovided with a crank arm 2a which, in turn, is connected by any suitable means (not shown) with the operating mechanism of the press.

As shown most clearly in Fig. 2, one end of the shaft 15 extends through one of the plates 18 of the carriages and enters the upper of a pair of guide ways or grooves 22, formed ,in the inner face of the adjacent side rail l. Carried by the shaft 15, adjacent the inner face of the plate 18, which is next to the grooved side rail, there is a U-shaped frame or hanger in which is fixed a transverse stub shaft 24, one end of which extend's beyond rthe outer side of said hanger 23 and is adapted to travel inthe grooves 22, in a. manner t-o be hereinafter described. Loosely mounted on the stub shaft 24, between the sides of the hanger 23, there is a gear 25 which meshes with a similar gear 26, fixed on the shaft 15, within the said hanger 23. Supportedby the side rail 1, by means of brackets 28, below the grooves 22 and in vertical aliiiement wit-h the gear-25, there is a rack bar 25).' As Shown iii Fig. 2, the grooves 22 are arranged one above another, and the upper one communicates with the lower one a short distance from its outer end, and the lower one, in turn, communicates with the upper one a short distance from its inner end. The entrance of the lower groove into the 'upper one is controlled by a switch point 3U, which is pivotally mounted on a screw shaft 31, and which is adapted to open upwardly, and which is returned to its closed position by means of a spring 32, as shown in Fig. 5.

The sheet supporting lingers of my iniproved delivery mechanism are so arranged thatwhen the carriages 18 are reciproeated back and t'orth along the side rails l, the \r will pass back and forth between the .pull, leys :1 above the shaft (i, and thi upper 'lolds ol' thil tapes 16 will occupy a plane slightly below the plane of the upper t'olds of the tapes S). When the carriages are at the limit. of their return movement, as shown f ried forwardly thereby until its l'ront. end.

is engaged between the roller 14 aint a roller 33, suspended by means of links 235, lroin i a transverse shaft 34 mounted on the plates 18 of the carriages. The roller 33 is, normally held in contact with the i'oller 11 by force of gravity and serves to prevent the sheet from floating as the carriages. are moved forward. lVhen the carriages are in the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, tlieend of the stub shaft 2l, together with the end of the shaft 15, will be in the upper of the grooves 22, and will remain in said u n )er Groove during the forward move- '23 engages one of the links 35 and pushes the roller-33 upwardly out of contact with the roller 14. 'lhisjwill free the front end of the sheet and as the carriages begin their return movement the gear 25, owing to its engagement with the rack bar 2S), will be caused to rotate rearwardly and as` said gear 25 is in mesh with the gear 26, said gear 26,

together with its shaft 15 and roller 14, will be caused to rotate forwardly. Obviously-this will cause the tapes 1G to travel forwardly and' consequently the sheet is propelled from said tapes 1( and allowed to drop upon the receiving table li, as the .sheet supporting fingers recede from under it. The tapes 16 continue to travel forwardly until the end of the stub shaft 2t reacties the inner end of the lower of the grooves 22. when the end ot' said stub shaft 2l will travel up through the switch point 30 -into the upper ot the grooves 22. l`his will swing the hanger-23 upwardly and bring the gear 25 out of engagement with the rack bar 2t) and the iiiotioii of the tapes 1G will be sus-V pended until the carriages again start on their return movement. As sooi'i'as the` hanger 3 swings upwardly, the projection 3G will move away from the. link 3l and allow the roller 33 to drop into contact with the roller 14. i

The shaft. l5 is fur enough removed from the stub shal'l 2l toallow theend ot' said stub shaft to pass into the lower groove 2; and the carriages to reach the liuiil ot thv-ir outwai'd inoveuient bel'orvtlu` cial otl the shat't l5 reaches the outer end oll the upper groove` whereby the end ol' the shaft l5 will always travel in the upper groove.

'.l`o prevent the .sheets l'iour sticking' to the i tapes lt and passing around the roller lt` l provide the shal't 1; with a nniuber of guards 3T. which aril arranged between rertaiii of the sheet supporting' tiiigrrs. and which extend under thi` rolle:` ll and :ire provided with outwardly extending V- ioo llt)

lift) shaped heads 3S .which terminate near the top of the roller 14, as shown most clearly in F ig. 2.

From the foregoing it will` be seen that I provide a sheet delivery mechanism which,l while being extremely simple of construction, will be strong and durable, and will admirably serve the purpose for which it is intended. i

l claim:

1. In :i sheet delivery mechanism, a pair of side rails, carriages inonntedon said side rails, and means for reciprocating said cai'- riages along said side rails, transverse shafts carried by said carriages, a plurality of sheet slipportiiig fingers mounted on Qne of saidv shafts, anda i'oller mounted on the other of said shafts, sheet conveying tapes carried by said sheet supporting fingers, and passing over said roller, a U-shapcd frame carried by the last mentioned shaft, a gear 4fixed to said shaft within the frame, a stub shaft mounted in said frame, and a gear loosely mounted on said stub shaft, and adapted to mesh with the first mentioned gear, a rack bar supported by one of said vside rails, and means forbii'iging the last mentioned gear into and out of engagement withsaid rack b ar when the carriages are moved back and forth. respectively, in' combinatioii with means for depositing the `fiilfieets upon said sheet supporting fingers.

loosely mounted on said stub shaft 'and adapted tol mesh with the first mentioned gear, a rack bai' supported by the said side rail below said gears. and means formed in the inner face of said side rail for operating on the aforesaid projecting end of the stub shaft, for -causing the gear carried thereby to be moved into and out of engagement with the rack bar, as the carriages are moved back and forth respectiyely, along the side rails.

3. In a sheet delivery mechanism, a pair of side rails, carriages mounted on said side .rails, land means for reciprocating said car-- riages, a transverse shaft mounted in -said carriages, and having one end projecting beyond one of said carriages, and working in the upper of a pair of commimicating grooves formed iii-the inner face of the ad' ,jacent side rail, a roller mounted on said shaft between ,the carriages, a hanger carried by said shaft, and a gear fixed to said shaft within the hanger, ,a stub shaft mounted in said hanger, a. gear loosely mounted-on said stub shaft, and adapted to mesh with the first mentioned gear, one end `of said stub sliaftirojecting beyond the outer side of said hanger, and adapted to work in both of said grooves, said grooves being so 'arranged that when the carriages are moving forwardly the projecting end of thestub shaft will travel in the up er groove, but when moving backwardly it Will l travel in the lower groove, a rack bar carried by said side rail, and adapted to be engaged by the gear mounted on said stub shaft when the end thereof is traveling in the lower groove, and a-plurality of sheet supporting fingers carried by said carriages and adapted to mov therewith, said fingers comprising a channel shaped larm havin a tapepulley mounted in each end the'reo a.'

sheet conveying tape passingover said pulleys and. `over the aforesaid roller, and means forv depositing thesheets uponsaid I sheet conveying tapes. Y

ln testimonywhereof I affix my'signature in presence of two witnesses. v

VILLAM H. STRATTON. Witnesses:v w

ARTHUR WVESLEY, H. M. TAYLOR. 

